100×100 Bridges of Education – working meeting

The project “100×100: Bridges of Education” began as an initiative in educational and intercultural diplomacy, run by the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy (CNAUI) APS together with its Department of Education, Department of International Cooperation and Department of Culture, with the support of public bodies, universities and associations in Italy and Ukraine.

The project aims to build lasting links between Ukrainian and Italian schools.

A meeting held on 6 November 2025 showed the project taking real shape.

Of the 246 schools registered on the Congress’s platform, 70 already have their own mediators — representatives who coordinate the cooperation and help the schools join a single network.

The participants discussed:

1. the roadmap for implementing the “100×100: Bridges of Education” project;

2. taking part in the online forum “Protect the Children – Protect the Future”, to be held on 19 November with the support of the European Parliament Office in Italy.

Lara Levchun, President of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy, stressed the importance of creating a space of trust among everyone involved in the educational project:

“We are building a bridge of trust — between schools, between Ukraine and Italy, between teachers and mediators. Only where there is trust can a real partnership be born, and with it shared ideas, actions and results. Our project is not just about education; it is about unity, mutual respect and a shared responsibility for our children’s future.”

Oksana Rohova, Head of the Department of International Cooperation, underlined that “100×100: Bridges of Education” opens up a new dimension of cooperation between educational communities:

“We are building an international network with the Ukrainian child at its centre — their development, language, culture and rights. It is important that every Ukrainian school feels supported by its European partners. That is why cooperation with the EU institutions, the Italian regions and local communities is crucial.”

Svitlana Vavilina, curator of the Ternopil Zemliatstvo and President of the ArtUage association in Catania (Sicily), spoke about the importance of culture and the arts in education:

“Culture is a bridge that unites generations. Through creativity, children not only learn the language but also discover the world and come to understand themselves. Sicily is a place where the Ukrainian soul finds understanding and support, where education and art go hand in hand.”

Maryna Feokhari, curator of the Chernihiv and Ivano-Frankivsk Zemliatstvos and President of the Kolos association in Soverato (Calabria), added:

“We can see educational bridges turning into living ties between the regions of Ukraine and Italy. The children who study here do not lose their roots — they carry Ukraine in their hearts, and that is precisely the strength of our people.”

The pilot project will start in Sicily, building on cooperation with Europe Direct Trapani Sicilia, coordinated by Ms Marta Ferrantelli.
Set up on the initiative of the European Commission, the centre aims to introduce Ukrainian children to the European institutions and to organise visits by Ukrainian children to Italy, so that they can see how European democracy works in practice.

Italy plays a special role in this process, as a country that opened its heart to Ukrainian families and gave them shelter, education and support.
It is here, in the partnership between Italian schools, local communities and Ukrainian associations, that a new form of educational diplomacy is taking shape — one in which every pupil is a young ambassador of Ukraine in Europe.

The “100×100: Bridges of Education” project is a joint initiative to strengthen the unity of educational communities, preserve Ukrainian identity and build bridges between Ukraine and the world through education.

We invite Ukrainians living in Italy to become mediators in the project by signing up via the online form (go to registration)

Photos: the meeting with Marta Ferrantelli, coordinator of Europe Direct Trapani Sicilia, and the delegation from Ukraine